Squared (Engagement) Root
This post is about the reasons behind my fellow Squares’ (and mine of course) high levels of engagement and interaction with anything related to our course and the Squared Google+ community- before we even had our first live class (which by the way took place a couple of hours ago).
This is a fantastic example of a brand knowing exactly:
- which associations it should take advantage of (a brand is a set of impressions and when thinking of it we relate it with specific attributes/ characteristics/ ideas)
- what service/product it should offer that would be relevant to the brand image, harnessing its already built credibility in specific fields
- what atmosphere it should create to drive engagement
Feeling Secure and Comfortable
Personally (and I believe a lot of my classmates are on the same page), ever since I signed up for this course, I have this feeling that I am in the right place at the right time. I am exactly were I need to be, doing (or at least trying to do) exactly what I want to do. Without even having my first class yet, I felt secure: Squared would definitely give me the tools to enhance my digital marketing skills and achieve a deeper understanding of how this digital world works (and will be working in the future - it’s vital for a marketer to be on top of that). Knowing how to create comfort is substantial (and thanks to Mike Berry’s presentation, I can now rest assured that Squared means the right things to me and to the most of us).
Imagination and Logic
There is no doubt at all that Google being behind this course and the IPA endorsing it is enough to lead our imagination and make us think about redefining ourselves as digital marketers who will be better placed to understand the rules and needs of this hyper-“connected” economy. But, at the same time, these names serve as “proof” that satisfies our rational minds: Who knows Digital Marketing better than Google?
And finally: Activation
From Squared Day 1, we are asked to do things. Create content, interact with each other, share our thoughts, participate in the community. This is the holy grail of meaningful and unforgettable experience: be there and be active. We are all contributing to this already, we help form its shape and we are learning while we do this. And of course, there is much more to learn.
So that’s about all for today. And my thoughts after today’s class? I am really eager to start questioning what I (think I) know, challenge myself, make mistakes and learn from them, and become T-shaped (that didn’t sound right, did it?). As one of my fellow Squares said, let’s Fail Forward!
(I seriously hope this won’t end up in my “famous last words” category)
Talk to you soon.
El.